First of all, I have some exciting news to share!  I’ve just started a column called “This American Home” over at the Stars and Stripes Military Moms website! Stars and Stripes is a Department of Defense-sponsored newspaper and Military Moms is their site for military moms and spouses and the problems we face. So be sure to check it out! If you’re a first-time reader, Welcome!

It is ingrained in our heads from an early age that in order to show off artwork, it must go on the wall (or other vertical surface).  As kiddos, our parents hung our fingerpaintings up on the fridge with tape, when we went off to college we graduated to a variety of adhesives designed to affix our photos, whiteboards and posters to cinderblock walls.  Do you remember the feeling of FINALLY being able to hang a frame on a nail in your living room in your first “grown up” place? GLORIOUS! Well, what we’ve learned from all of these experiences is that art that we want to showcase goes on the wall.

Today, I ask you to unlearn years of learned behavior.  Today, I ask you to take that piece of artwork OFF the wall (hopefully this won’t result in too much counseling). When I was decorating our guest bathroom after we moved in, I set this print on this little shelf while I went to get a hammer and nail, and I decided I liked it better sitting on the shelf than I would if I had actually hung it up!  Design by accident!

So try it!  Take that piece of art off the wall, lean it on a bookshelf or floating shelf or (gasp) THE FLOOR.  If you really don’t like it, you can put it right back on that nail.  Happy Decorating!